For many years, buildings have been equipped with gutters and downspouts for removing water from roofs and away from foundations. Typically, the gutters of a building are connected to a number of downspouts. The gutters are designed so that water does not collect in any one place in the gutters. The gutters are usually at a slight decline in the direction of the downspouts so that the force of gravity will cause the rainwater to travel down the decline, through the downspout and exit the opening of the downspout.
Fixed angle elbow connectors are typically utilized for connecting gutters and portions of downspouts together. It is desirable to have the downspout supported close to or against the side of the building. Typical elbow connectors are fastened between the gutter and the downspout so that the downspout may be routed from its junction with the gutter back underneath the overhang of the roof or soffit and extend adjacent the overhang at a slight decline. A second fixed angle elbow connector is typically utilized between the portion of the downspout extending adjacent the overhang and the remaining portion of the downspout which extends downward along the side of the building. A third fixed angle elbow connector is typically utilized at the lower end of the downspout portion extending down the side of the building and exhaust the rainwater along the ground away from the side of the building.
One problem with known gutter systems is that fixed angle elbow connectors are manufactured with a fixed degree of bend, and are a fixed length. However, when the overhang of a roof is large or not uniform, custom elbow connectors are required. Therefore, installing a gutter system requires measurements and calculations and custom-cutting of the downspouts and elbows so that the gutter and downspout may be properly supported close to the side of the building.
Another problem of known gutter systems is that the known elbow connector typically provided at the downspout end which is adjacent the ground only directs water a short distance away from the building. Because of this short distance, water is often exhausted too close to the foundation of the building and causes the foundation to crack or leak. Although another piece of downspout extending on the ground away from the building can be connected to the elbow to exhaust the water further away from the building, adding another piece of downspout has several drawbacks. One drawback is that the downspout portion can only be extended in the same linear direction of the elbow of the downspout because downspout material is not flexible or bendable. Another drawback is that an extension of downspout may have to be moved for lawn care or other reasons and the downspout extension is inconvenient to uncouple and move.
Attempts have been made in the art to provide a downspout extension connector that directs water away from a building without simply adding another piece of downspout material. One example of these attempts is the bendable, "corrugated" plastic pipe and adapters that are connected to a downspout and buried in the ground to channel water away from the building. Other examples are described in the patents to Sweers (U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,006), Schlein (U.S. Pat. No. 3,076,669), Johnson (U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,419), and in Japanese Kokai No. 52-43126.
Bendable, corrugated plastic pipes and adapters, such as supplied by Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. of Montezuma, Ga., are known in the art. The adapter is connected to the downspout and then the bendable corrugated plastic pipe is connected to the adapter. Although these corrugated plastic pipes direct water away from the foundation of a building, they suffer from several drawbacks. One drawback of these corrugated plastic pipes is that, although bendable, they will not hold their position. Thus, elbows are required when the user needs a turn in the pipe, or a bent trench must be dug to guide and hold the pipe.
Another drawback of the corrugated plastic pipe is the number of parts required. Corrugated, plastic pipes with circular cross-sections require an adapter piece to connect to the rectangular cross-sectional downspout and elbows where a turn in the extension is needed. Another drawback of these corrugated, plastic pipe downspout extensions is their fixed length. The user may need a downspout extension of a greater or lesser length than the fixed length provided.
Sweers, U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,006, describes an adjustable extension assembly for a downspout that includes a fixed piece attachable to the lowermost end of a downspout, a rotatable collar attached to the fixed piece, and at least one extension pivotably attached to the rotatable collar. The assembly described by Sweers can be pointed in different directions and the assembly can be extended to different lengths. However, one of the drawbacks of Sweers is that the assembly can point only linearly and can not bend around objects.
Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,419, describes a hinged extension for downspouts. The hinge allows the downspout extension to be selectively disengaged from the downspout so that the extension can be pivoted to provide clearance for routine yard work. However, the hinged extension described by Johnson is not bendable or flexible and only points in the same direction as the downspout.
Attempts have also been made in the art to provide a gutter elbow. One example is described in the patent to Schlein (U.S. Pat. No. 3,076,669). Schlein, U.S. Pat. No. 3,076,669, describes a plastic bellows elbow with spigot and socket ends. The device is configured for connecting an eaves trough to a downspout. The elbow comprises plastic having limited flexibility and a tendency to cold flow to a predetermined set under sustained pressure and having an elastic memory. The intermediate portion of the coupling is described as being provided with a "bellows formation" that provides a certain degree of flexibility, allowing it to be bent in any direction and expand and contract. However, the bellows in Schlein will not hold its position and it is of circular cross section. Japanese Kokai No. 52-43126 describes a plastic elbow for a rain trough, characterized by the fact that it is composed by joining the rain trough inserting part and a rain trough receiving part as one body to two ends of a bellows part capable of elongating and bending, in which certain umbrella-shaped parts and annular flexing parts are joined alternately. However, there is no indication that this device is capable of locking into and holding a position. Besides, the arrangement shown in this document is of circular cross section, which does not readily adapt to gutters and downspouts commonly found in the United States, which have generally rectangular cross sections.
The Japanese Kokai document shows an elbow having a circular cross section. Aesthetically, a rainwater connector such as an elbow or downspout extension should be of a similar cross section to that of the downspouts and other components, which in the United States is generally rectangular. Prior to the present invention, it has not been possible to make a connector that is of a generally rectangular or obround cross section that is extendible and locks into position.
Accordingly, the prior art does not satisfy the need for a connector that is inexpensive, flexible, extendible, locks into place, holds its position, requires few parts, and is interlocking, and has a generally rectangular or obround cross section. The needs outlined above led to the present invention.